About the ProgramThis volunteer project in Mzuzu, Malawi has a unique focus, especially for a country like Malawi; it uses tennis and table tennis to educate and empower youth and children.
Tennis Kids Malawi is actively promoting table tennis and lawn tennis by creating structured and progressive coaching but also competitive structures for athletes, coaches, administrators and match officials to be involved in these sports, from beginner’s level to international games.
This shall be guided by the following principles:
- Creating an environment for table tennis and tennis for all that are interested to develop both positive physical health standards but also life skills, social skills and personal development.
- Improving the standard of play and market table tennis and tennis in the northern region to compete with the best on a local, regional and international level.
- Making table tennis and lawn tennis the most widely played sport at a grassroots level in Mzuzu.
- The mission of this program is to provide necessary skills in table tennis and lawn tennis in a sustainable, structured, progressive and professional manner as well as introducing the program's objectives at various youth organizations, like primary and secondary school.
The organization is involved in many activities that improve the general health of children and develop the skills of Lawn tennis and Table tennis as a life sport.
Coaching
One of the main activities of Tennis Kids, where volunteers will be involved, is the actual playing and coaching of table tennis and/or lawn tennis. The daily coaching sessions will show you just how big the interest of the local youth is in getting actively involved, even though these sports are not the most well-known or popular in Malawi. Training sessions are focused at different age groups and levels of experience, and any volunteer with basic skills can contribute hugely by offering the extra help.
Coaching Workshops
To offer the best quality of training and to have a sustainable long term focus there is an ongoing need for coaches who are dedicated and know how to coach and improve the skills of the children and young adults. Tennis Kids conducts coaching courses at the beginning of every year to provide more advanced coaching skills to already trained coaches, any new coaches coming from different youth organizations and teachers from different primary and secondary schools.
School League Tournaments
SBB organizes a schools league tournament which involves players of different schools competing against each other. Currently there is a total of 11 schools taking part in the league. The Tennis Kids coaches are usually assigned to visit the schools once a week to train any interested children and to identify talent.
Tournaments for HIV / AIDS Awareness
The tournament activities are part of the national reBanda who will pick you upsponse to the HIV/AIDS pandemic threatening the general population of Malawi. As the youth is especially vulnerable and within a high-risk age group, Tennis Kids believes that through sport the message of the risks of HIV/AIDS can be positively carried out.
The tournaments offer, next to playing sports, a variety of activities that can influence the youth to make use of testing and knowing their status as well as counselling for those infected. It is intended to influence positive change in sexual behaviours and to decrease the risks of HIV/AIDS among young people.
Championship Competitions
Tennis Kids organizes regional tournaments with funding from different sponsors and stakeholders, but is also involved in National championships by entering some of their top players. These tournaments, as well as end-of-term tournaments, provide the youth different opportunities to test their skills against each other and socialise with players from other parts of the region or country.
You most likely won’t be alone when volunteering at Mzuzu and meet both local as international volunteers. We get volunteers from all over the world, from the USA, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, the UK and many other countries.
GUIDANCE AND SUPERVISION
Guidance will be offered in multiple ways as different people are involved in your stay in Mzuzu.
PROJECT NEEDS
The biggest need for Tennis Kids is to have enthusiastic and knowledgeable coaches to offer the best training and coaching they can. Volunteers with some experience and a love for either one of these sports will be highly appreciated and welcome to form part of the team. There always is an ongoing challenge for financial support and materials. If any volunteers can contribute with any of the following items this would be highly appreciated;
- Tennis rackets and balls
- Sports uniforms and tennis shoes
- Table tennis bats and balls
- Sports clothing
